Fraser, Alness Parish look up please

[MonicaL]

Marg

I've gone through the census indexes again. The Hugh b. circa 1844 is not showing in the 1881 Census whether this means that this is your Hugh, I can't say.

This is the family entries for the Hugh born c. 1844:

1851:

James Fraser    53, Farmers Of 20 Ac
Ann McLean    44
Alexd Fraser    19
Isabella Fraser 15
Andrew Fraser    12
Ronald Fraser    11
Hugh Fraser    8
Janet Fraser    4
Roderich Matheson    20

Address: Balancrotin, Alness - Everyone showing as born in Alness


1861:

Ann Fraser    52, farmer's wife
Hugh Fraser    17
Janet Fraser    14
Ronald Fraser    21
Wm Fraser    26

Address:  Acharn, Alness


In 1871, I think this Hugh is visiting his brother Alexander in Edinburgh and shows as a carpenter. No sign of him in the 1881 census and onwards.


I've also searched for Hugh as Ewan, a name variant for Hugh, and Frazer etc.

Regards.

Monica

[Magi]

Hi Monica,
I think the first Fraser family appear to be the the correct family as quite a few of the names filter down. Hugh was born in 1850 according to his marriage certificate and his age at his death.
Thank you so very much for all you valued assistance.
Marg

[MonicaL]

The problem with this Hugh, Marg, is that he is still in Alness in 1881 with his parents and your Hugh by now was married in South Africa...

1881:

William Fraser    67, blacksmith
Janet Fraser    60
Alexander Fraser 38
Thomas Fraser    36
William Fraser    34
Hugh Fraser    32, shepherd
Andrew Fraser    17
Phebe Temple    51

Address: Contullich;Blacksmith'S House, Alness

Regards.

Monica

[Magi]

Hi Monica,
That is sad new! Wonder if I send my son who in holidaying in Edinburgh to Register House if he would be able to obtain a birth certificate with the 13th August, 1850. Would he have to look up records first, have no idea.
Thanks so much,
Marg

[MonicaL]

Hi Marg

Good timing for your son to be nearby Register House!

The problem you are facing is that Hugh's birth is before the start of official registration in Scotland in 1855.

From the Old Parish Registers (for the Established Church of Scotland - Presbyterian records) there is only the birth entry for a Hugh Fraser in that decade in Alness, and that's the one born 1842 for whom I posted some census info. The other Hugh b. 1850 in Alness I picked up from the censuses.

A couple of things you might want to consider:

Firstly, your Hugh may not have been born in Alness. The only two showing in the 1851 census are the two we have already discussed (and for this I've done a search by birth place regardless of where they were living at the time so happens they were living still in Alness).

The second point, people were a lot more general about the specific of birthdays/year in those days. People often rounded up or down for no apparent reason. You should probably allow for some +/- on Hugh's birth details.

Have a look at this link written by Pam about researching in Scotland. It covers a number of areas including the Old Parish Registers:

www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,24468.0.html

Regards.

Monica

[Magi]

Hi Monica,
Many thanks for all the time you have spend on my query, I really do appreciate it.
My Late Mother used to sometimes mention Dingwall and I am wondering if perhaps he was born there and perhaps later moved to Alness. I have a very old black Christmas card with a photo of the old Alness Town Hall so Alness and a photo of his mother taken in Alness.
It would be wonderful to find out when and where he was born and who his parents were. Spoke to a cousin last night and she seemed to think the mother could have been Mary Ross?
Thanks so much once again,
Marg

[MonicaL]

Marg

I'm shaking the on-line resources as hard as I can for your Hugh!

Taking on board the potential name of Mary (Ross) for Hugh's mother, I've gone back with an open mind about places and ages. I have found one family, the BIG problem we face though with all of this is that it will probably remain probabilities without being able to verify through documents (marriage and death certs for Hugh for example) the actual names of his parents.

The family I have found are Alexander Fraser and Mary AIRD (not Ross). Mary was born in Alness. Submitted details on IGI for her birth:

MARY AIRD  Christening: 17 MAY 1814 Alness, Ross And Cromarty, Scotland
Parents: Father: GEORGE AIRD    Mother: CHRISTIAN ROSS

Three ticks - Mary, born in Alness, her mother's surname was ROSS 

Old Parish Register refs. from Scotlands People for her marriage (banns?) to Alexander Fraser:

MARY AIRD  Marriages: Spouse:     ALEXANDER FRASER    
Marriage:  26 AUG 1842  Logie-Easter, Ross And Cromarty, Scotland Ref: 077/ 0020 0100/  and Kilmuir Easter /ROSS AND CROMARTY Ref: 069/ 0020 0127

I'll post the census entries separately.

Regards.

Monica

[MonicaL]

The census entries from 1851:

1851:
Alexander Fraser 36, joiner, b. Fodderty
Mary Fraser    33, b. Alness
Christina Fraser 7, b. Kilmuir
George Fraser    3, b. Kilmuir
Hugh Fraser 5, b. Kilmuir
Alexander Fraser 1, b. Kilmuir

Address: Miltown, Kilmuir Easter

1861:

Alexander Fraser 40, joiner, b. Fodderty
Mary Fraser    37, b. Rosskeen
Christiana Fraser 18
Hugh Fraser    16
George Fraser    14
Alexander Fraser 12
David Fraser    10
William Fraser    4, b. Perth, Perthshire

Address: 8 Cross St, Perth

The children above, their birth place has been transcribed as 'Helmuse'. You would have to check the original image at Scotlands People to check what this should be.

There are no entries showing for the births/christenings of the children on the OPRs. The only birth that shows is the post official reg. (1855 onwards) entry for William on 30 JAN 1857 Perth, Perth, Scotland .

1871:
Alexander Fraser 54, joiner, b. Fodderty
Catherine Fraser 42, b. Blair Athole, Perthshire
William Fraser    14, b. Perth
John Merdgies    16, lodger, b. Dull, Perthshire

Address: 33 Stormont St, Perth

Mary Aird looks to have died in 1862 in Perth and Alexander remarried a Catherine McGregor in 1868.

There is an actual extract for the birth of an Alexader Fraser in Fodderty in 1813 showing on IGI, his father was HUGH FRASER.

There are no Hugh or David Fraser showing in the 1881 Census with a Kilmuir birth place.



Marg, I can't verify that this is your Hugh's family but having spent a bit of time on this now, this certainly is the closest I can come to matching the info you have provided.

As you can see from the various census entries I have posted, people's ages varied and were inconsistent. Your Hugh may have been born on 13 Aug but not necessarily in 1850.

Hopefully, you can progess this further.

Regards.

Monica 

[Magi]

Hi Monica,
Many thanks for all you have done for me. I really do appreciate all the work you have put into assisting me.
Looks like the this family looks more they could be ours. Will have a look at the website you have suggested and will let you know what I can find.
Thanks once again.
Margaret